By Dennis W. Redovich
Center for the Study of Jobs & Education in Wisconsin And United States
The motivation for this piece is an article in the May 6, 2006 Edition of Newsweek, "100 Best High Schools in America . http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12532668/site/newsweek Newsweek has published the rankings of the top 1,200 of 27,468 public high schools in America that are ranked according to a ratio devised by Washington Post education writer Jay Mathews. Fourteen of the top 1,200 public high schools in America in 2005 are located in the State of Wisconsin . Thirteen of the top 1,036 in 2004 and nine of the top 804 public high schools in 2003 that had a ratio of 1.000 or above were located in Wisconsin . (May 16, 2005 Edition of Newsweek) Milwaukee Rufus King was overwhelmingly the top rated high school in Wisconsin in 2005, 2004 and 2003. The Milwaukee Public Schools are labeled failing schools without doubt by the Milwaukee media, Choice school politicians and the business interests.

"In 1821 English High, (located in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston), was alone in providing a free secondary education in the United States, there are now 27,468 public high schools. Assessing such a diverse group is daunting. Newsweek's Best High Schools (IB List uses a ratio, the number of Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate) tests taken by all students at a school, divided by the number of graduating seniors." (Devised by Jay Mathews of the Washington Post) "Although that doesn't tell the whole story about a school, it's one of the best measures available to compare a wide range of students' readiness for higher-level work, which is more crucial than ever in the postindustrial age." A generation ago, a high-school diploma gave most workers all they needed to get good jobs. "Now a high-school degree doesn't make it as a final, terminal degree. There's been a push to get people to seek further education." (Newsweek, 100 Best High Schools in America May 16 2005 Edition)

Wisconsin - U.S Rank in 2005 of Top 1,200 High Schools in the United States
1) 319 | Rufus King | Milwaukee | Wisc. |
2.113* | 44.0**| 2) 504 | Whitefish Bay | Whitefish Bay| Wisc. | 1.728* | N.A. ** | 48.***|
3) 547 | Grafton | Grafton| Wisc. | 1.684* | 4.8 ** | 45*** 4) 612 | Arrowhead | Hartland | Wisc. | 1.612* | 2.0** | 43. ***| 5) 730 | Nicolet | Glendale | Wisc. | 1.450* | 10.0 ** | 38.*** | 6) 800 | Homestead | Mequon | Wisc. | 1.385* | 3.0** 7) 835 | Central-Westosha | Salem | Wisc. | 1.342* | 8.0** | 15*** | 8) 886 | Shorewood | Shorewood | Wisc. | 1.306* | 7.8** 9) 961 | Verona Area | Verona | Wisc. | 1.236* | 15.0** | 40.*** | 10) 975 | Madison Memorial | Madison | Wisc. | 1.219* | 27.0** | 11) 1078 | Greendale | Greendale | Wisc. | 1.118 | N.A. | 12) 1094 | Cedarburg | Cedarburg | Wisc. | 1.095* | 1.4*** | 30*** | 13) 1144 | West Bend East | West Bend | Wisc. | 1.045* | 14.0** | 33.0*** | 14) 1188 | Riverside University | Milwaukee | Wisc. | 1.013* 60.0** | 10. ***|

*Ratio, the number of Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate) tests taken by all students at a school in 2005, divided by the number of graduating seniors. ** Percentage of students eligible for subsidized lunch *** The portion of all graduating seniors at a school that had at least one passing grade on one AP or IB test.

Wisconsin - U.S Rank in 2004 of Top 1,061 High Schools in the United States 1) 215 |  Rufus King* | Milwaukee |  Wis. |  2.214* |  40** 2) 352 |  New Berlin West |  New Berlin |  Wis. |  1.834* |  3** 3) 476 |  Whitefish Bay |  Whitefish Bay |  Wis. |  1.609* |  0** 4) 543 |  Arrowhead  |  Hartland |  Wis. |  1.

527* |  1** 5) 598 |  Madison Memorial |  Madison |  Wis. |  1.453* |  17.5** 6) 692 |  Marshfield |  Marshfield |  Wis. |  1.354* |  5** 7) 710 |  Verona |  Verona |  Wis. |  1.331* |  14** 8) 782 |  Homestead  |  Mequon |  Wis. |  1.268* |  2** 9) 850 |  Cedarburg |  Cedarburg |  Wis. |  1.208* |  1.8** 10) 956 |  Nicolet |  Glendale |  Wis. |  1.103* |  6.5** 11) 960 |  Riverside University |  Milwaukee |  Wis. |  1.101* |  57** 12) 963 |  Milwaukee School of Languages |  Milwaukee |  Wis. |  1.100* |  54** 13) 987 |  Westosha Central (tie) |  Salem |  Wis. |  1.082* |  16**

*Ratio, the number of Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate) tests taken by all students at a school in 2004, divided by the number of graduating seniors. ** Percentage of students eligible for subsidized lunch

Wisconsin U.S. Rank in 2003 of Top 804 High Schools in the United States

1) 178 Milwaukee Rufus King 1.993
2) 443 Homestead Mequon 1.376
3) 463 Verona 1.357
4) 483 Shorewood 1.332
5) 484 Madison Memorial 1.331
6) 524 New Berlin 1.294
7) 538 Whitefish Bay 1.297
8) 571 Arrowhead 1.243
9) 729 Milwaukee Riverside 1.059

*Ratio **subsidized lunch (Not used in 2003)

The Milwaukee Public Schools represent 5% (20 of 400) of public high schools in Wisconsin. Milwaukee high schools had 37.5% (3 of 8) high schools, Rufus King (WI No.1 U.S. No. 213), Riverside (No. 6 WI No. 938 U.S.) and Milwaukee School of Languages (No. 7 WI No. 941 U.S.) of Wisconsin high schools rated in the top 1,000 public high schools in America in 2005.

In 2004 38% of MPS graduates were confirmed as accepted by a four-year college in the year of graduation. Rufus King had 83% of its graduates confirmed, Riverside 49% and School of Lanquages 52%.

A majority of students in MPS high schools (67%) were eligible for free or reduced lunch in 2004. Riverside 60% and Milwaukee School of Languages 54% and Rufus King 40% had significantly higher percentages of students eligible for free lunch than other top Wisconsin high schools. (Range- Salem Central 16% to Whitefish Bay 0%). MPS schools had an enrollment of 86% minority students and 18% with special needs in 2003-04,

Numerous conservative politicians of the major political parties, the MMAC and other business leaders and the Milwaukee media label the Milwaukee Public Schools as failing schools without reservations or valid evidence. MPS schools are used as scapegoats for alleviating the serious social and economic problems of people in Milwaukee that the schools did not create. The social and economic problems of poor families are the root causes of the significant academic and graduation troubles of MPS students.

It is unbelievably ironic and a par adox that the City of Milwaukee, where the exemplary Milwaukee Public Schools have developed since the 1970's a unique system of public school choice, is also the Mecca of the anti-public school movement and private school choice, including religious schools. The anti-public school movement has been successful in defaming MPS schools and their teachers. The truth is that the Milwaukee Public Schools are one of the best urban school districts in America. (See www.jobseducationwis.org 190 The War Against the Milwaukee Public Schools)

Dennis W. Redovich
Center for the Study of Jobs & Education in Wisconsin and United States
www.jobseducationwis.org
Educational Consultant and Public Speaker
414-421-1120 [email protected]